Viral effects on antigen processing

Viruses have evolved numerous mechanisms that modulate MHC-mediated antigen presentation, which in turn protect infected cells from T-lymphocyte-mediated immunosurveillance. Recent studies of previously identified viral immunomodulatory proteins reveal the allelic specificity of these proteins, their ability to function in xenogeneic systems and the difficulty in translating in vitro data to in vivo models; moreover, new mechanisms of viral modulation of MHC expression have emerged.